7x72R Any info to share?

[Neil Molendyk]

Good day fellow forum members. A few years ago I came upon some 7x72R ammunition at an auction. The asking price was cheap for a couple of boxes, I didn't know what they were but my father in law has been gunsmithing and barrel making for 50 years so I thought he would have some idea. Turns out he had never heard of them. A little research has unearthed very little. I have found brass is available but costly, Cartridges of the World has a brief article about it and I think reloading dies can be ordered. I believe that the 7x72R was primarily found in combination German drilling firearms, shotgun and 7x72R formats. I am thinking that rebarreling a Ruger No. 1 might be an interesting project, say a 243 Win or 6mm Remington. Thoughts, advice or comments please. Thank you

 

[bruce moulds]

just looking at it you would have to assume it started life as a black powder cartridge.
if so it would not have been a good one, as it would have fouled barrels badly.
as a smokeless it also leaves much to be desired.
a better choice might be 7x65 rimmed, or even better in a ruger no1, 280 rem.
should you want the 7x72 ballistics, just load the better cartridge back.
for a reduced performance round, the 7x30 waters exceeds the 7x72 in a more practical package.
bruce.

 

[Neil Molendyk]

Thanks Bruce, no doubt in your assessment, Cartridges of the World ranks it power wise as a 30-30. It's just the unquietness of the calibre that intrigues me, certainly not its popularity or efficiencies. The Ruger No 1 platform is probably the easiest to accommodate the build, certainly will be strong enough.
Neil

 

[HWL]

The 7x72R was invented in 1927 by Wilhelm Brenneke.

It was standardized April 1930, together with the 8x72R (.318 dia. J bore) cartridge.

Both cartridges origin from the old black powder 9,3x72R, cases can be formed from.

7x72R and 8x72R never have been loaded with black powder.

The idea behind the 7x72R was, to create a 7mm low pressure cartridge for break open rifles.

CIP pressure is 2500 bar, 7x57R is 3000 bar, 7x57 is 3400 bar.

139 gr soft point round nose at 2400 fps was the standard load.

RWS and DWM discontinued production in the 60's and cartridges have to be reloaded since

I have never seen boxer primed cases, RWS 5620 Berdan Primer is required.

No rifles, or a few only, have been made after WWII.

The cartridge is considered to be ideal for the little roe deer, but marginal for red deer or pigs.


HWL

 

[Neil Molendyk]

Thanks HWL for the information about the cartridge and firearm. It would make a nice rifle for the tiny ten. And unique.

 

[Red Leg]

The 7x72R was invented in 1927 by Wilhelm Brenneke.

It was standardized April 1930, together with the 8x72R (.318 dia. J bore) cartridge.

Both cartridges origin from the old black powder 9,3x72R, cases can be formed from.

7x72R and 8x72R never have been loaded with black powder.

The idea behind the 7x72R was, to create a 7mm low pressure cartridge for break open rifles.

CIP pressure is 2500 bar, 7x57R is 3000 bar, 7x57 is 3400 bar.

139 gr soft point round nose at 2400 fps was the standard load.

RWS and DWM discontinued production in the 60's and cartridges have to be reloaded since

I have never seen boxer primed cases, RWS 5620 Berdan Primer is required.

No rifles, or a few only, have been made after WWII.

The cartridge is considered to be ideal for the little roe deer, but marginal for red deer or pigs.


HWL

Beat me to it.

It was indeed a nitro design, and if you can find a source for brass in addition to your two boxes, it might be a fun project for a light stalking rifle. A friend many years ago in Germany had a drilling in 16x16 / 7x72R. It was already unusual and fairly rare there at that time. He no doubt shot several hundred roe deer and foxes with that gun along with the occasional smaller pig for the pot.

It would work fine on our whitetail out to 150 yards or so with a fast opening SP of some sort. Published data will be non-existent so be cautious working up a load if you decide to go forward with the project.

If the brass looks like an impossible hurdle, I would be happy to wax eloquently about the virtues of the 7x65R.

 

[Red Leg]

Beat me to it.

It was indeed a nitro design, and if you can find a source for brass in addition to your two boxes, it might be a fun project for a light stalking rifle. A friend many years ago in Germany had a drilling in 16x16 / 7x72R. It was already unusual and fairly rare there at that time. He no doubt shot several hundred roe deer and foxes with that gun along with the occasional smaller pig for the pot.

It would work fine on our whitetail out to 150 yards or so with a fast opening SP of some sort. Published data will be non-existent so be cautious working up a load if you decide to go forward with the project.

If the brass looks like an impossible hurdle, I would be happy to wax eloquently about the virtues of the 7x65R.

The Reloading Authority - Graf & Sons

Graf & Sons, the reloading authority, has a wide selection of reloading supplies, shooting supplies, ammo and more.

www.grafs.com

Looks like brass might be a doable do - though a bit of an investment.

 

[HWL]

The Reloading Authority - Graf & Sons

Graf & Sons, the reloading authority, has a wide selection of reloading supplies, shooting supplies, ammo and more.

www.grafs.com

Looks like brass might be a doable do - though a bit of an investment.

Much easier with Boxer primed cases....sometimes life is easier in the Untied States....

A Ruger No.1 with an octagonal barrel in 7x72R is a rifle to dream of.


HWL

 

[bruce moulds]

which raises the question.
why does the 7 x 65 rimmed exist today?
bruce.

 

[HWL]

The 7x65R also is Wilhelm Brennekes child.

He created the 7x65R in 1920 as a HIGH performance break open gun cartridge.

We only can speculate, why he saw a demand for the less powerfull 7x72R, seven years later.

Today, the 7x65R exists, because it withstood the test of time, the 7x72R did not.

Nontheless, beautiful rifles were made in 7x72R....

16 ga 7x72R O/U hammer gun.......

HWL